Pianist in court for Islam Twitter 'insult'
Date October 19, 2012 - 8:19AM
Turkish pianist on trial for poetic tweet
Freedom of speech protests outside court at the start of the trial of internationally acclaimed pianist Fazil Say for insulting Muslim religious values.
ISTANBUL: A top Turkish pianist and composer has appeared in court to defend himself against charges of offending Muslims and insulting Islam in comments he made on Twitter.
Fazil Say, who has played with the New York Philharmonic and the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, is on trial for sending tweets that included one in April that joked about a call to prayer that lasted only 22 seconds.
Say tweeted: "Why such haste? Have you got a mistress waiting or a raki on the table?"
Free speech ... supporters of Fazil Say demonstrate in front of the courthouse in Istanbul. Photo: Reuters
Raki is a traditional alcoholic drink made with aniseed. Islam forbids alcohol and many Islamists consider the remarks unacceptable.
Prosecutors in June charged Say with inciting hatred and public enmity, and with insulting "religious values".
He faces a maximum prison term of 18 months, although any sentence is likely to be suspended.
Twitter controversy ... the prosecution of Fazil Say, centre, has sparked anger in Turkey. Photo: AP
Say, who has served as a cultural ambassador for the European Union, rejected the charges and demanded his acquittal, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. The private Dogan news agency said the trial was adjourned until February 18.
The prosecution has caused anger among intellectuals in Turkey and escalated concerns over freedom of expression in the country. Hundreds of his fans, supporters and human rights activists went to the courthouse in Istanbul in a show of solidarity, holding up signs that read: "Fazil Say is not alone" and "Free Art, Free World".
Say, 42, is a strong critic of the government of the Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a devout Muslim who has preached conservative values, alarming some secular Turks who fear the government plans to make religion part of their lifestyle.
The European Union has long encouraged Turkey to improve freedom of speech if it wants to become a member of the bloc.
In a report on Turkey's progress towards membership issued last week, the EU criticised the country for "recurring infringements of the right to liberty and security and to a fair trial, as well as of the freedom of expression".
It said restrictions on media freedoms and an increasing number of court cases against writers and journalists remained "serious issues".
On Thursday, Egemen Bagis, the minister in charge of relations with the EU, suggested the case against Say should be dismissed, saying the court should regard Say's tweets as being within "his right to babble". But he criticised the pianist for "insulting people's faith and values".
The charges against Say also cite other tweets he sent, including one – based on a verse by the medieval poet and wine-lover Omar Khayyam – which questioned whether heaven was a tavern or a brothel, because of the promises that wine will flow and each believer will be greeted by virgins.
Say has since closed his Twitter account and has said he plans to leave Turkey for Japan. His lawyer said Say had received death threats.
